This application is based on application No. 2000-275106 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital image sensing art for acquiring image data using an image sensing element as an image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, conventional silver halide film cameras have come to be replaced by the practicalization of digital image sensing apparatuses such as digital cameras and the like which convert an optical image of an object to electronic image signals by an i mage sensing element, and record the electronic i mage signals on a removable memory card which is the alternative to conventional film.
There are digital image sensing apparatuses which may acquire a visible light image and infrared image (invisible light image) of the same object via a single video camera, such as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H10-341446. Fitting and combining the visible light image and invisible light image acquired by such image sensing devices is easily accomplished.
Such image sensing devices are complex because their construction separately provides an image sensing element for acquiring a visible light image, and an image sensing element for acquiring an infrared image.
In view of the previously described problems, the present invention relates to a system provided with digital image sensing art capable of easily acquiring a visible light image and an invisible light image of the same object.
A digital image sensing apparatus comprises an image sensor for acquiring an object image as image data; a first filter for selectively transmitting light of a first wavelength band of visible light; a second filter for selectively transmitting light of a second wavelength band of different from the first wavelength; a switching device for arranging and switching the first filter and the second filter in an optical path of a photographic optical system connecting the object and the image sensor; a controller for controlling a first operation for acquiring by the i mage sensor an object image transmitted through the first filter as first image data, and a second operation for acquiring by the image sensor an object image transmitted through the second filter as second image data while maintaining substantially similar characteristics of the object; and a recording device for recording the first image data and the second image data as the same file on a recording medium.
An image processing system comprises a digital image sensing apparatus of claim 1 and information processing device, wherein the information processing device has an image processing device which extracts a main object image from the first image data based on the second image data, and executes image processing on the main object image of the extracted first image data.
A digital image sensing method for acquiring an object image as image data, comprises following steps of: acquiring an object image transmitted through a first filter, which selectively transmits light of a first wavelength band of visible light, as first image data via an image sensor; and acquiring an object image transmitted through a second filter, which selectively transmits light of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, as second image data via an image sensor, and wherein the first image data and the second image data are acquired while maintaining substantially similar characteristics by executing the first image acquisition process and the second image acquisition process in a specific sequence; and recording the first image data and the second i mage data as a single file on a recording medium.
A computer program for executing image processing by a computer t o function as an information processing apparatus, wherein the computer program executes processes of the digital image sensing method described above.
A computer readable recording medium for recording a image processing program for executing image processing by a computer, wherein the image processing program execute processes of the digital image sensing method described above.
A digital camera comprises an image sensor for acquiring an object image as image data; a light emitting device for emitting infrared light at an irradiation angle in a field angle approximately equal to a filed angle of an image sensing optical system; a first filter for selectively transmitting light of the visible light wavelength band; a second filter for selectively transmitting light of the infrared light wavelength band; a switching device for arranging and switching the first filter and the second filter in an optical path of the image sensing optical system connecting the object and the image sensor; and a controller for controlling a first operation for acquiring by the image sensor an object image transmitted through the first filter as first image data, and a second operation for acquiring by the image sensor an object image transmitted through the second filter as second image data by controlling the actuation of the switching device.